Ever since he took over as the first BJP chief minister of West Bengal, Suvendu Adhikari has been on a roll. With little over a week in office, the CM has taken a slew of measures in matters pertaining to national security, law and order, administrative and public welfare.
Also read: Suvendu vs Vijay: Two first-time CMs take oath, reflecting two Indias
At the same time, Suvendu has also been seen taking a harmonious stance vis-à-vis the Trinamool Congress (TMC), the state’s main opposition party, sending a message that his government would not generally take an eye-for-eye stance. It may be recalled that Suvendu had quit TMC in 2020 to join the BJP.
On May 11, the first working day after the new government was sworn in on May 9 at a gala event in Kolkata’s Brigade Parade Ground, Suvendu told the media that his cabinet had taken six crucial decisions in its very first sitting.
Land for border fencing
One of them spoke about facilitating land transfer for border fencing at Bengal’s border with Bangladesh. The exercise will be looked after by the chief secretary and the land and land reforms department to transfer the land to the Border Security Force within 45 days.
The move is aimed at curbing infiltration from Bangladesh, something the BJP has always spoken about and accused the previous TMC government of overlooking.
Central welfare schemes
With Bengal getting its first ‘double-engine sarkar’, Suvendu said the state would be brought under the purview of the Union government’s Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme, marking another reversal from the previous TMC regime.
Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY), which comes under the Centre’s broader Ayushman Bharat initiative, was launched in 2018 by the Narendra Modi government to provide health insurance coverage to families that are economically vulnerable.
Also read: Yogi, Himanta or Suvendu: Who will succeed Modi?
However, Suvendu said that while the central schemes will see a rollout, including Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima, and others in the state, the various welfare schemes in the state, such as Lakshmir Bhandar and Swasthya Sathi, which were initiated by the previous Mamata Banerjee government, would continue.
Increasing govt job upper age limit
The CM also said that the cabinet decided to raise the upper age limit for government job applications by five years in order to improve job opportunities for educated youth. The declaration fulfils a key electoral promise made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah during this year’s election campaign.
As per the announcement, applicants in the general category would now see a relaxation of the current age cap of 40 to 45, and those in categories such as SC, ST and OBC would be able to apply for employment opportunities till the age of 48, from the current cap of 43.
The CM announced that the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, which replaced the age-old IPC and CrPC Acts, respectively, in 2024, will be implemented in Bengal with immediate effect.
Cooperating with Centre on Census
On the ongoing Census procedure, Suvendu alleged that the previous government did not implement the Union Home Ministry’s June 2025 directive on the process, and his government has enforced it with immediate effect. He said the TMC government had betrayed both the people of Bengal and the Constitution to create obstacles for the Census exercise.
The new government also decided that IAS officers in Bengal will now take part in the Centre’s training programmes, as it is done in other states.
Cattle smuggling, roadside namaz
Within a week of being in office, the Suvendu government’s actions took a palpable communal tone. On May 11, it took stern measures to end cattle smuggling in Bengal. The administration asked the police to close all unauthorised cattle markets immediately.
Besides, police were asked to increase monitoring in “sensitive areas”, especially on the Bangladesh border, to curb smuggling networks.
Also read: From CM’s ‘right hand’ to CM: Suvendu Adhikari set to lead Bengal’s first BJP govt
BJP MLA Arjun Singh remarked during a recent interview to India Today TV that action will be initiated against those found to be smuggling cattle, and zero-tolerance policies would be followed on stone-pelting.
The government has also reportedly moved to put a curb on offering namaz on the roadside, stating that prayers should be held only within designated religious areas.
Bulldozer’s appearance
The bulldozer also made its appearance in many areas of Kolkata. They were deployed to demolish illegal buildings and structures in the state capital, a day after an accidental fire at a factory building in the Tiljala area of eastern Kolkata led to the deaths of some workers.
Late on Saturday (May 16) evening, a big anti-encroachment drive was conducted outside the Howrah railway station, with bulldozers razing rows of makeshift shops and illegal structures along the stretch from the Ganga ghat to the station premises.
Remembering killed BJP workers
In the first cabinet meeting, the CM also adopted a proposal to ensure justice for more than 300 members of the BJP who were allegedly killed in violence instigated by the TMC and promised to take responsibility for the victims’ kin.
On another day, when Opposition Leader Sovandeb Chatterjee urged the government to take care of the TMC workers who were on the run because of the BJP’s alleged atrocities post the May 4 win, Suvendu said his government would ensure that, but cautioned that if any record of post-poll violence is found against those TMC people (from 2021), then they would be held.
The CM also assured the Opposition that his government would acknowledge if they write it letters on particular matters.
Quick steps on RG Kar case
One of the major steps that the new government took soon after taking charge is related to the RG Kar rape-murder case. It suspended three high-ranking IPS officers, including former Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal, for alleged investigative failures, bribery and procedural irregularities.
Also read: Bengal giant killer’s gambit: Suvendu Adhikari and the BJP’s breakthrough
The CM said disciplinary proceedings and departmental probe would be overseen by the Bengal home secretary under the chief secretary’s supervision. He said the state government will not intervene in the actual criminal probe into the matter, which is being undertaken by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
Mandating ‘Vande Mataram’ in govt schools
On May 14, Suvendu mandated the singing of “Vande Mataram”, the National Song, in all government-run schools during assembly prayers before the classes begin.
In a social media post, he said, “In supersession of all previous orders and practices, the Government of West Bengal has mandated the singing of the National Song of Bharat – Vande Mataram – during School Assembly Prayers before the commencement of Classes in all Schools under the School Education Department across West Bengal, effective immediately.”
The new cabinet will meet for its second meeting on Monday (May 18), where decisions on dearness allowance, implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission, besides other administrative issues are expected to be taken.
Comments are closed.